First Opium War

The First Opium War (3 November 1839-29 August 1842) was a war fought between the United Kingdom and Qing China over British merchants' sales of opium to the Chinese people. The British used their military (particularly naval) superiority to defeat the Chinese, and the Daoguang Emperor was forced to sign the Treaty of Nanking, which ceded Hong Kong Island to the United Kingdom, granted an indemnity to Britain, and opened five treaty ports to the foreign powers.

History
China's ban on European imports and the increasing demand for Chinese tea, porcelain, and silk in Europe caused a huge trade imbalance between the regions. The British East India Company redressed this by illegally selling Bengali opium to China. As the number of addicts rose, the Chinese tried to suppress the trade, confiscating stocks of opium inn Guangzhou and besieging the British merchants.

In June 1840 a fleet of 44 British ships with some 4,000 Royal Marines was sent from Singapore to demand compensation. The expedition blockaded the mouth of the PEarl River, then defeated the Chinese at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Coastal towns were bombarded, Guangzhou was taken, and tax barges were seized, drastically cutting the imperial income. Due to lack of modernization, China's defenses were no match for ironclad steamships and European cannon and muskets; the chief weapon of the Manchu soldier (or bannerman) was still the composite bow. In 1842 the Chinese sued for peace and signed the Treaty of Nanking, ceding Hong Kong to Britain and opening up five so-called "treaty ports" to British merchants, who remained exempt from the jurisdiction of local law. The emperor also recognized Britain as equal to China. The United States and France gained similar rights in 1844.